State Studies

The Polis Discourse and the Evolution of Political Thought in Ancient Greece

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Ehsan Kazemi 1
Morteza Kazemi 2

1 , Assistant Professor, Department of Political Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

2 Ph.D. Student, Department of Approximation of Religions, University of Religions and Religions, Qom, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22054/tssq.2025.72212.1383
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Any attempt to review the history of philosophical thought inevitably begins with ancient Greece. As the cradle of political thought, ancient Greece holds an influential position in the history of political thought. Thus, examining political thought in ancient Greece remains a compelling area of study for historians of political thought. A critical aspect of ancient Greek political thought is its evolution and the elements that influenced its development. Historians of political thought argue that various elements—such as governance systems, culture, and geography—served as key drivers in shaping political thought in ancient Greece. Understanding these elements provides deeper insight not only into ancient Greek political thinking but also into the broader development of Western political thought. In this respect, the present study aimed to analyze the role and significance of the discourse on the polis in the evolution of political thought in ancient Greece. The central question guiding this research is: What influence did the emergence of the polis have on the foundations of thought in ancient Greece? The research is based on the hypothesis that the rise of the polis as a dominant discourse not only influenced daily political relations in ancient Greece but also played a decisive role in the development of political thought as a distinct field of knowledge. In other words, political thought, as a form of historical knowledge, evolved according to the norms of discourse formation and transformation.
Materials and Methods
The current study employed discourse analysis as the methodological approach to explore the underlying logic behind the formation of political thought in ancient Greece.
Results and Discussion
According to the research methodology, the prevailing discourse of each era significantly shapes its modes of thought. In the monarchical discourse, mythical thinking—shaped by dominant values and


norms—laid the foundation for a specific form of thought known as mythical thought. This discourse constructed methods and models of thinking that would reproduce the dominant discourse. With the transition from the monarchical discourse to the discourse on the polis, it was not only the political order that underwent change but also the entirety of Greek social and political life. Beyond shifts in lifestyle and living models, a new mode of thinking emerged within the polis discourse. This new paradigm marked a shift from mythical to rational thought, emphasizing rationality over instinctual or national aspects of the human. This transformation reshaped the nature of relations between political institutions. As a result, the foundation of political legitimacy and stability moved away from metaphysical or mythical justifications toward an earthly, citizen-centered foundation.
Conclusion
This research examined the discourse on the polis in contrast with the discourse of monarchy, outlining several transitional stages from the monarchy to the polis. The first stage involved the crisis and eventual decline of the hegemonic monarchical discourse. The second stage marked the emergence and consolidation of the polis as the new dominant discourse. The third and final stage was characterized by the structuring of the discursive elements of political thought around a central sign, namely the polis itself. With the transition from the discourse of monarchy to that of the polis or city-state, not only did the political order change, but the entire social and political life of the Greeks was transformed. Beyond mere biological changes, a new mode of thinking emerged within the discourse of the polis. In this
A new way of thinking, rational thought gradually replaced mythical thinking, and rationalism led to the emergence of political thought.

Keywords

Ancient Greece
Crisis
Discourse analysis
Polis
Political thought
Subjects

  1. Addo, Pierre (1382), What is Ancient Philosophy? translated by Abbas Bagheri, Tehran: Neshr-e Elm. [In Persian]

    Alam, Abdurrahman (2010), Political History of Western Philosophy, Tehran: Office of Political and International Studies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Publications.  [In Persian]

    Alam, Abdurrahman (2010), History of Western Political Philosophy, New Era and Nineteenth Century, Tehran: Office of Political and International Studies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Publications.  [In Persian]

    Arendt, Hannah (2010), Human Condition, translated by Masoud Alia, Tehran: Qaqnoos.  [In Persian]

    Aristotle (1985), Politics, translated by Hamid Enayat, Tehran: Sepehr Publishing [In Persian]

    Aristotle (2002), Ethics of Nicomachus, translated by Seyyed Abolqasem Pour Hosseini, Tehran: Tehran University Press.  [In Persian]

    Azarafza, Iraj, Qavam Safari, Mahdi (2013), The Concept of Law in the Political Thought of Ancient Greece. Metaphysic. 5(16): 51-72.  [In Persian]

    Azdanlou, Hamid (2001), Discourse and Society, Tehran: Nashr-e Ney.  [In Persian]

    1. Pomeroy, (2004), a brief history of ancient Greece: politics, society, and culture, published by Oxford University Press, Inc. [In Persian]

    Davari, Reza (1998), "Paideia", Bukhara Monthly, 3(353 to 357).  [In Persian]

    Dave, Robinson, Groves, Judy (2014), History of Western Philosophy, translated by Shahabeddin Abbasi, Tehran: Elm Publication.  [In Persian]

    Emam Jom’ezadeh, Seyed Javad et al., (2016), "Discourse Analysis of the Relationship between Political Theory and Political Action in Ancient Greece", Theoretical Politics Research Quarterly, (22): 219-185.  [In Persian]

    Feirahi, Davoud (2009), Power, Knowledge, Legitimacy in Islam, Tehran: Nashr-e Ney.  [In Persian]

    Foster, Michael B. (1982), Masters of Political Thought, translated by Mohammad Javad Sheikhul-Eslami, Tehran: Amirkabir Publications.  [In Persian]

    Gadamer, Hans Georg (2003), The Beginning of Philosophy, translated by Ezatollah Foulavand, Tehran: Hermes.  [In Persian]

    Guthrie, W. K. C. (2008), Ancient Greek Philosophers from Thales to Aristotle, translated by Hassan Fathi, Tehran: Nashr-e Alam.  [In Persian]

    Haqiqat, Syed Sadeq (2013). "History of Ideas, Intellectual History, and Political Studies", Journal of Theoretical Politics, 14: 143-163.  [In Persian]

    Hobbes, Thomas. (1843). Thucydides: The Peloponnesian Wars, London.  [In Persian]

    Hosseinizadeh, Mohammad Ali (2010), Political Islam in Iran. Qom: Mofid University.  [In Persian]

    Jaeger, Werner (1997), Paideia, translated by Mohammad Hassan Lotfi (1st Vol.), Tehran: Kharazmi Publications.  [In Persian]

    Jorgensen, Marian, Phillips, Louise (2010), Theory and Method in Discourse Analysis, translated by Hadi Jalili, Tehran: Nashr-e Ney.  [In Persian]

    Kalantari, Abdul Hossein (2012), Discourse from Three Perspectives; Linguistic, Philosophical and Sociological. Tehran: Sociologists Publishing.  [In Persian]

    Kasraei, Mohammad Salar, Pouzesh Shirazi, Ali (2007), "Laclau and Mouffe's Discourse Theory; An Efficient Tool for Understanding and Explaining Political Phenomena", Politics Quarterly, 39(3): 339-360.  [In Persian]

    Kazemi, Ehsan, Roomi, Farshad (2018), Discursive Re-creation of Political Theory; From Ancient Greece to Postmodernism, Tehran: Aql-e Sorkh.  [In Persian]

    Klosko, George (2014), History of Political Theory of the Classical Era, translated by Khashayar Deihimi, Tehran: Nashr-e Ney.  [In Persian]

    Liedman, Sven Erik (2000), History of Political Thoughts from Plato to Habermas, translated by Saeed Moghadam, Tehran: Danesh Iran. [In Persian]

    Manouchehri, Abbas (2018), "Paradigmatic Political Theory", Bquarterly Journal of Theoretical Political Research. 6: 77-93. [In Persian]

    McClelland, John (2013), History of Western Political Thought, from Ancient Greece to the Age of Enlightenment, translated by Jahangir Moini Alamdari, Tehran: Nashr-e Ney. [In Persian]

    Moghimi Zanjani, Shervin (2016), "Political Thinking and the Conditions for the Birth of Greek Political Philosophy". Biquarterly of Theoretical Political Research. 21: 1-30. [In Persian]

    Nazerzadeh Kermani, Farnaz (1997), "A Glance at the History of the Formation of the Greek Polis and Its Place and Importance in Plato's Political Philosophy". Philosophical Journal. 2: 75-86. [In Persian]

    O’Sullivan, Noel (2009), Political Theory in Transition (Critical Review), Tehran: Kavir. [In Persian]

    Plato (1974), Republic, translated by Mohammad Hassan Lotfi, Tehran: Khoosheh. [In Persian]

    Poladi, Kamal (2003), History of Political Thought in the West, Tehran: Markaz. [In Persian]

    Qaderi, Hatem et al., (2010), "Utopian Thought in Plato's Republic; Differences and Distinctions", Journal of Political Science, 7(1): 117-135. [In Persian]

    Tabatabaei, Seyyed Javad (1994), Decay of Political Thought in Iran, Tehran: Nashr-e Kavir. [In Persian]

    Tajik, Mohammad Reza (2010), Postpolitics: Theory and Method, Tehran: Nashr-e Ney. [In Persian]

    Tajik, Mohammadreza (2000), Discourse and Discourse Analysis, Tehran: Gofteman-e Farhang Publications. [In Persian]

    Zeimaran, Mohammad (2000), Transition from the World of Myth to Philosophy, Tehran: Hermes. [In Persian]

State Studies
Volume 10, Issue 40
Autumn 2024
Pages 229-264

Home

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Contact Us